Thursday, September 5, 2019

Kayakers paddle down Ashley Ave. in Dorian flooding

Fun, but please don't

Y'all hanging in there? This storm is something, huh? Of course, some dudes downtown are doing their Charlestonian duty - kayaking down the road in the storm water.

This is where we are obligated to remind you of all the reasons why it's a bad idea. In case this is your first rodeo, from the archives: What are the dangers of kayaking on Market Street? The short version: besides there being the danger of downed power lines lurking in the water, the water is dirty as all get out and full of fecal matter. Imagine a mix of sewer overflow; the waste of carriage horses, dogs, cats, and critters; run off lawn chemicals; car exhaust; and regular old street grime. Yum!

And they don't all wear capes

Stay Dry

The Market Street kayakers of Tuesday's Biblical flood have become folk heroes. But just how smart is it to grab a flotation device — be it boat, surfboard, or air mattress — and take to the waters of Charleston's swamped streets? What kind of dangers and diseases did our kayaking celebrities face?